Field



' UNITED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

GEORGE F. BURPEE, OF l/VILMOT,

FIELD, CANADA. 1

AND CHARLES L. TILLEY, OF IVAKE- CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,514, dated August 5, 1890.

Application filed May 28, 1890.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES BURPEE, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Rowena, in the county of Victoria and 5 Province of New Brunswick, Canada, have invented a new and useful Car-Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway-car couplings, and more especially of that class in which the operation of coupling is automatically performed; and the object of this in- Vention is to improve the construction of existing devices of this general character.

To this end the invention consists of a I 5 Weight-block pivoted in the draw-head, the

object of which is to hold the link in a horizontal position while leaving it free to be moved in any direction necessary, and a levercatch supported by a pin in the weight-block,

which is both a pivot and fulcrum for the said lever-catch, the weight of which supports the coupling-pin which moves in the front end of the said weight-block, together with the other specific details of construction and auxiliaries z 5 tending to enhance the value of the whole, all

as hereinafter more fully described, and illustrated in the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of this carcoupler. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sec- 0 tion showing the link as locked therein. Fig.

3 is a similar section showing the link as removed and the pin ready to fall through an approaching link. Fig. at is a similar section showing the pin withdrawn from link and supported by the catch, the link being ready for removal from the draw'head. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of the weight-block and catch. Fig. 6 is a section 011 the line 6 6 in Fig. 2.

Referring to the said drawings, the letter H designates the draw-head, P the couplingpin, and L the link, which are all of the ordinary or any preferred construction. WV is a weight-block back of the coupling-pin, pivoted on a transverse pin 10, passing through its rear end and through the side of the drawhead each side of the opening therein, and this Serial No. 353,447. (No model.)

weight-block has a staple or ring R for elevating the block when desired. WVithin the weight-block, on a pin 70, is pivoted a levercatch K, Whose front end is arranged in the lower part of a notch N in the front end of the Weight-block, the pivot of the catch being so arranged that the catch will normally assume the position shown in Fig. 3-that is to say, with its front end or tip beneath thelower end of the coupling-pin P, whereby said pin is supported by the weight of the catch acting as a lever, the pin 70 supporting the catch being the fulcrum.

The notch N in the front end of the weightblock registers with a similar notch in the body of the draw-head, and the two notches form a vertical hole through which the pin P moves, as will be understood. The lower forward corners of the weight-block at either side of the catch are beveled, about as shown at V, and the lower end of the catch is also beveled as shown.

In operation,when the parts stand in the position shown in Fig. 3, an approaching link being held in a level position by its weightblock and fulcrum, as shown in Fig. 2, enters the draw-head and, striking the beveled ends of the weight-block and catch, presses the lat- 7 5 ter rearwardly around its pivot 76, and the pin P falls through the link to the position shown in Fig. 2, the beveled ends of the weight-block guiding the link to its place under the weightblock, the weight of which is sufficient to hold the link horizontal over the corner h of the mouth of the draw-head, which is extended slightly forward and forms a fulcrum for this purpose. v

It is sometimes desirable, when uncoupling, and cars are not ready to move at once and pull the link L from the uncoupled car, to withdraw the pin from the link and return it to its place in the registering notches and leave it there supported by the catch, as shown 0 in Fig. 4. In this case, after removing the pin,

the weight-block is slightly raised by the ring or staple R, which permits the catch K to turn on its pivot is, so that its lower end will rest on the top of the link L, and when the link is withdrawn the block, catch, and pin fall into the same position, as shown in Fig. 3.

What I claim is' 1. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head,the weight-block pivoted therein and having a notch in its front end registering with a notch in the draw-head, and the pin-supporting catch pivotally mounted within said weight-block, of a pin seated in said registering notches and normally resting upon said catch, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head, the weight-block pivoted therein and having a notch in its front end registering with a notch in the draw-head, the

lower front corners of said weight-block beingbeveled, and the pin-supporting catch pivotally mounted within said weight-block and having its front end also beveled, of a pin seated in said registering notches and normally resting upon the front end of the catch, the whole operating substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES BURPEE.

Witnesses:

CHARLES L. TILLEY, D. MoL. VINoE. 

